Ultra Scotland 50

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 303m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 40.3km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–19.9km · Plus 1 more climb. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 19.9km–54.1km · Descent of 303m averaging 7%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Fade · 54.1km–76.5km · Climb of 327m, high point 709m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 76.5km–90.0km · 13.5km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

The course climbs 2447m+. With 27m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 38% of the distance is uphill, 30% downhill and 32% flat. The longest climb runs 3.7km at an average 8.8% grade (327m of vertical). The longest descent runs 4.2km at an average 7.2% grade (303m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 23.4% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 26.1% over 0.6km. Surface: 43% smooth, 34% trail, and 21% road.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Cold Moss (628m), 59.5km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Comb Head (609m). The course also passes close to Lowther Hill (725m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 4.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 33 of 100), with 37% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 40.3km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 36.1–40.3 km · 303 m D−, -7.2% · 49.7 km ahead → control
• 72.4–76.5 km · 340 m D−, -8.2% · 13.5 km ahead → your pace